Greg Rawlinson

Durban-born Greg Rawlinson created history when he played three tests for the All Blacks in 2006. He became the first born and bred South Africa to play rugby for New Zealand. The pedantic might suggest Andrew Mehrtens had preceded him in 1995, but apart from the same birthplace, Durban, Mehrtens has been always a New Zealander by nationality. He was born in the republic but only because his New Zealand parents were then on a working holiday. While Merhtens was just a few months old the family returned to Canterbury.

Rawlinson began his first class rugby career in South Africa, appearing for Natal and in one Super 12 match for the Sharks. He came to New Zealand in 2002, playing 13 matches that season for Bay of Plenty.

The following season the 2m tall lock moved to North Harbour, where he played for the next five seasons. His 45 appearances for Harbour included the Ranfurly Shield success against Canterbury in 2006 and occasional stints as captain.

Included in the Blues for the first time in 2004, he made 39 appearances at Super 12/14 level and had a particularly impressive season in 2006, enjoying considerable lineout success and forming an effective locking pairing with Ali Williams.

This won him selection for the All Blacks, for whom he had now qualified through three years residency. In the latter part of 2005 and early in 2006 Rawlinson was placed in a dilemma for the Springboks also expressed an interest in his services.

Rawlinson chose New Zealand and his All Black debut was against Ireland at Hamilton when he played the first 50 minutes before being subbed. The following week against Ireland in Auckland he came from the bench for the final 27 minutes.

In the tri-nations test against the Springboks in Pretoria he played for the first 46 minutes before being replaced by Chris Jack.

Rawlinson, a grafter rather than a star, was left out of the 2006 end of year tour of Europe and by then was well down the pecking order behind Williams, Jack, Keith Robinson and two emerging youngsters, James Ryan and Jason Eaton. He was clearly well out of the frame for the 2007 World Cup, but a spate of injuries among the locks saw him recalled for the tri-nations test against the Springboks in his old home town of Durban.

That was his last All Black game. Overlooked for the World Cup, he saw out his New Zealand stint when Harbour had a disappointing provincial season, then departed for an overseas contract.